Neck-through Epic/Essence/Rogue?

[hammer]

As everyone here has stated it all comes down to whether you feel “this is the one!” To me the most interesting aspect of this bass is the Europa electronics. I have a Europa 6-string and the electronics are incredibly easy to adjust on the fly and give one many tonal capacities. The Europa body IMHO is one of Alembics best. At the original price of this bass, however, you should be able to get yourself a Europa if you’re patient enough. Remember, good things come to those who wait.

[StephenR]

I know this is difficult when you have credit at a store and they are selling instruments that were already marked up but have you considered buying something that you don't necessarily want but is at a price point where you could easily resell it then take the cash and buy on the "open market" instead of having to wait for someone to trade in an Alembic?

[gtrguy]

Sounds like a nice bass.
Ah, CTS pots aren't cheap compared to most OEM pots. Also, some of the pots in our beloved instruments are made in Mexico if you look close enough, and they work fine.

[Songdog]

I know this is difficult when you have credit at a store and they are selling instruments that were already marked up but have you considered buying something that you don't necessarily want but is at a price point where you could easily resell it then take the cash and buy on the "open market" instead of having to wait for someone to trade in an Alembic?

I definitely thought about that; I've had a year to think about it. I'm not enough of an expert in the used instrument market, and when I thought about all the risks and hassles it just didn't make sense to me.

[Songdog]

As everyone here has stated it all comes down to whether you feel “this is the one!”

On my first visit to the store, I arrived just an hour before closing time after a drive in horrible traffic that took an hour longer than I expected. I was able to inspect the bass and verify everything worked and it was in amazing condition for its age (I'd call it "like new" except for one tiny finish ding). I only got to play it for a little while through an amp that was really not ideal (they plugged it into a little Fender Rumble combo sitting on the floor, what were they thinking? Probably that it was almost closing time and they didn't want to mess around with amps). I didn't have enough opportunity to really get to know it. Even so, I drove home (in more horrible traffic) wondering why it wasn't in my car.

This morning, I had a much easier drive, no time pressure, and they set me up with a more suitable rig (Aguilar head, Bergantino cab).  I quickly found that I had something special in my hands. Is it "the one"? (In the Alembic world, is there ever just one?) I don't know; for now it's enough to say I'm very glad this bass came home with me. I'll post some more detailed comments and pictures in Showcase later.

Thanks to all the people who shared their advice and knowledge!

Okay, time to head off for a little summer jam with some of my bandmates....

[gearhed289]

Congrats! Sounds like you did the right thing for yourself, have fun and post pics.